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Common symptoms include:
You should see a doctor right away if your child has:
Meningitis can be caused by:
Meningitis can be diagnosed by performing an exam and with:
It’s important to know the specific cause of meningitis because the type of treatment depends on the cause. Antibiotic medicine can treat meningitis caused by bacteria. Some antiviral medicines are available to treat some types of viral meningitis. Other medicines can help treat the symptoms caused by other types of meningitis.
Meningitis may be prevented by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Meningitis; Vaccine Resources
KidsHealth: Meningitis
MedlinePlus: Meningitis
Meningitis [men-in-JAHY-tis] is inflammation of the meninges [mi-NIN-jeez], a protective tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by a bacterial [bak-TEER-ee-uhl] or viral [VAHY-ruhl] infection of the fluid found in between the meninges and the brain and spinal cord. Sometimes, meningitis can be very serious and can cause hearing loss, strokes, brain damage, or death.